1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for packaging a rolled article by winding a packaging sheet with skirts around the rolled article which has opposite end faces to be covered with respective end packaging members, respectively.
2. Description of the Related Art
Films for use in the platemaking field, for example, are usually supplied as light-shielded photosensitive rolls.
A light-shielded photosensitive roll is manufactured as follows: First, an elongate photosensitive sheet is wound around a core, producing a photosensitive roll (rolled article). Then, disk-shaped light-shielding members (end packaging members) are attached to the respective opposite end faces of the photosensitive roll, and a light-shielding leader (packaging sheet) including a light-shielding sheet and light-shielding shrink films (skirts) is joined to the leading end of the photosensitive sheet of the photosensitive roll. Then, the light-shielding leader is wound around the photosensitive roll, and the light-shielding shrink films are heated and thermally fused while they are being folded over the light-shielding members. Thereafter, the trailing end of the light-shielding leader is fixed in position by an end fixing tape. In this manner, the light-shielded photosensitive roll is produced. For more details, see Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2001-249431, for example.
The applicant of the present application has proposed a method of and an apparatus for packaging a rolled article to manufacture a light-shielded photosensitive roll of the type described above. One method and apparatus for packaging a rolled article is, disclosed in Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2003-26113. The disclosed method and apparatus make it possible to wind a packaging sheet neatly and efficiently around a rolled article according to a simple process with a simple arrangement.